Horizon Zero Dawn : B-01 – Watcher, Scrapper, Strider

The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is filled with several different types of Machines, and there are so many unique designs that, I think it’s necessary to take a look at each one on its own. In these videos, I’ll be going over what each Machine is, what it does, and how to fight it. Let’s start with the most basic Machine, the first one we’re introduced to: the Watcher. The Watcher is a small, bipedal, dinosaur-like Machine whose primary function is to act like a scout. This reconnaissance Machine mainly acts as a lookout for other Machines and can quite often be found in mixed groups of other Machines. Watchers are the easiest enemy to fight, with only a small handful of attacks, that mostly involves jumping and kicking. Although Watchers are not weak to any particular type of damage, its eye is weak to everything. A single hit from a regular hunting bow is often enough to kill it.

Watchers are also extremely susceptible to sneak attacks and are one of the Machine types that can be overridden as soon as you gain the ability to. Aside from kicks, another attack a Watcher has is to create a large flash that can stun you and impair your vision somewhat. This can be countered by rolling as soon as the flash goes off, negating the effects of the attack. One final move a Watcher has is a projectile shot, but it tends to use this one only sparingly. Watchers attacks are easily dodged, and I don’t even recommend using any type of ammo on them, as heavy melee attacks quickly stun them, making finishing them off very easy. Scrappers on the other hand are a small terraforming Machine and have a bit more in their arsenal. Scrappers are canine-like machines with powerful jaws used to, well, scrap other Machines. The Scrapper has two weak points along its back: a radar and a power cell.

The power cell can be hit with Shock ammo to trigger a small explosion. The radar, however, is used in the Scrapper’s scanning ability, which can find you even if you’re hiding in tall grass, so long as you’re close enough. Like Watchers, Scrappers are susceptible to sneak attacks and seem to be generally less aware of their surroundings than Watchers, especially when they’re scrapping downed Machines. Overriding a Scrapper requires you to complete the SIGMA Cauldron, but once you do, Scrappers are incredibly tough once overridden. They can one-hit kill several types of Machines, though their AI doesn’t always seem to recognize that they’re needed in a fight.

Scrappers also have ranged laser attacks that they tend to fire off after being affected by elemental damage, as standing at a distance tends to trigger melee swipes more often than not. Because of this attack, it’s more important to have eyes on every Scrapper you’re fighting, just in case one of them fires off a laser attack at you. Not every Machine is immediately hostile, however. The Strider, a horse-like Machine, tends to run away once spotted rather than stay and fight.

Striders are one of the few mountable machines and can be ridden throughout the world once overridden. Striders are also very weak to sneak attacks and can be a little slow to realize that you’re close by. If you do, however, manage to alert a herd of Striders, it’s more likely that only one will stay behind to attack you, much like a bucking horse. This is pretty much a Strider’s only attack, and even after it engages with you in combat, it can still run off when you start doing some damage. Shooting a Strider can be a little difficult, since they never seem to stop moving, but hitting them with melee attacks is a pretty good strategy. Overridden Striders can help in combat, but they often stay docile, and when they do attack, they tend to miss. Striders are valuable for their Blaze canisters, but because they can be ridden, it’s better to keep them alive if you want to expedite traveling across the world without using fast travel packs.

One small detail that is very easy to miss is that on each Machine you can see the symbol of the Cauldron you need to complete in order to override them. Watchers and Striders have the PSI symbol, while Scrappers have the SIGMA symbol. Next time, we’ll cover a few more Machines that wander the Nora Sacred Lands. .